Music & Culture

Music & Culture

Trombonist Ku-umba Frank Lacy Brings 'Earnest Intensity' To 'Mingus Sings'

8:34am August 11, 2015

by Kevin Whitehead

Ku-umba Frank Lacy provides vocals on the new record by the Mingus Big Band. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says the album, which is dedicated to the late Charles Mingus, is "worthy of the Mingus brand."

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D. Randall Blythe is the lead vocalist of the metal band Lamb of God.

'Dark Days': Retracing The Steps Of A Heavy Metal Tragedy

8:56pm August 10, 2015

by NPR Staff

When a stage diver died after a Lamb of God concert, singer D. Randall Blythe was arrested for manslaughter. In his memoir, Blythe unpacks the incident — and why he returned to Europe to stand trial.

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French rapper Abd Al Malik's film May Allah Bless France! tells the story of a teenager finding music and Islam.

'May Allah Bless France!' Tells The Story Of France's Hip-Hop Gatekeepers

4:50pm August 10, 2015

by NPR Staff

Rapper Abd Al Malik, who grew up in the depressed suburbs of France, has turned his story into a soaring film memoir.

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Prince onstage during the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles in February.

Prince Compares Record Contracts To Slavery In Rare Meeting With Media

7:14am August 10, 2015

by Eric Deggans

Music icon Prince is worried about the future of the music business for artists, and his top priority can be summed up in one word: freedom.

Charlie McCoy and the Escorts perform at the Jolly Roger in Printers Alley, circa 1965. From left to right: Wayne Butler, Jerry Tuttle, Kenny Buttrey, Mac Gayden, and Charlie McCoy.

Music & Culture

The Real Charlie McCoy, A Musical Quarterback Of 1960s Nashville

5:34pm August 08, 2015

by Jewly Hight

McCoy is best known as a harmonica player, but the studio veteran also played a big role in the pivotal moment when counter-cultural folk-rock came to Music City.

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Dr. Dre's album Compton, his first release in 16 years, came out today.

Music & Culture

After 16 Years, Dr. Dre Returns With 'Compton'

3:13pm August 08, 2015

by Timmhotep Aku

The producer behind the West Coast gangsta rap sound looks back over his career on a long-awaited album that sounds less like one man's vanity project than a grand group effort.

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Music & Culture

Coda To A Cold Case: The Mystery Of The Stolen Stradivarius, Resolved

5:37pm August 07, 2015

by Nina Totenberg

A Stradivarius violin, which was stolen and hidden for 35 years, has now been found. It belonged to the late virtuoso Roman Totenberg — the father of NPR's Nina Totenberg. Nina tells the story.

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Mick Fleetwood getting it done with Fleetwood Mac during a 2013 performance

Drum Fill Friday, For Aug. 7

1:20pm August 07, 2015

Our recurring puzzler for careful listeners, this week featuring a selection of fills handpicked by All Songs Considered co-host Robin Hilton. Hear the drum fill and match it to the song.

Brian Bwembya Kasoka (also known as B Flow) sings and raps about women's issues.

Why The Zambian Hip-Hopper 'B Flow' Changed His Tune

1:09pm August 07, 2015

by Ina Yang

In his first two albums, the singer/rapper made music for lovers. Then came album No. 3: Voiceless Women.

A mural asserts local music pride in Bristol, Va., one of the stops along The Crooked Road — a trail that connects music venues through the mountains of the state.

Music & Culture

We're Off To See Appalachia: The Crooked Road Links Rural Music Communities

12:13pm August 07, 2015

by Desiré Moses

The Crooked Road is a 333-mile driving trail in Southwest Virginia, along which a rich music community has been able to thrive and draw visitors from all over the country.

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